We are all equal
- tbdana
- Posts: 1928
- Joined: Apr 08, 2023
When it comes to making music there is no such thing as better or worse musicians, there is only different.
I don't care if you've only been playing for a year, or if you're universally recognized as a virtuoso on your instrument. The newbies are not less than, and the top pros are not better than. Music is not hierarchical. It is cooperative, conspiratorial, and communal. It is beautiful human souls coming together to magically turn air vibrations into art.
Sure, people have different skill levels, different goals, different limitations. That doesn't make us unequal, it just makes us different. And difference is the foundation of art.
I'm so tired of pros strutting around like peacocks, and community players feeling insecure. None of us should do either of those. We're all just people who love trombone and music, and we all equally get to contribute a phrase to the Eternal Universal Symphony. Every person who plays an instrument is equal to every other person who plays an instrument.
Let's stop with the hierarchical bullpuckey. Pros, don't look down on students and community players. Students and community players, don't be intimidated by pros. That defeats art. We ALL have something to offer the rest, and we ALL have something we can learn from each other.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I don't care if you've only been playing for a year, or if you're universally recognized as a virtuoso on your instrument. The newbies are not less than, and the top pros are not better than. Music is not hierarchical. It is cooperative, conspiratorial, and communal. It is beautiful human souls coming together to magically turn air vibrations into art.
Sure, people have different skill levels, different goals, different limitations. That doesn't make us unequal, it just makes us different. And difference is the foundation of art.
I'm so tired of pros strutting around like peacocks, and community players feeling insecure. None of us should do either of those. We're all just people who love trombone and music, and we all equally get to contribute a phrase to the Eternal Universal Symphony. Every person who plays an instrument is equal to every other person who plays an instrument.
Let's stop with the hierarchical bullpuckey. Pros, don't look down on students and community players. Students and community players, don't be intimidated by pros. That defeats art. We ALL have something to offer the rest, and we ALL have something we can learn from each other.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
You are right!
- StephenK
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Mar 26, 2018
We certainly all should get respect.
Story given to me at the weekend by a euphonium player who had been studying at a well known conservatoire in the UK, with an internationally well known player. He was getting very upset as he was being bullied. Took it to the management who said, we aren't taking any action - this guy is really famous. So, he said if that's your attitude, I'm leaving, and he did. It was quite a few years ago, but still could be happening in his opinion.
Story given to me at the weekend by a euphonium player who had been studying at a well known conservatoire in the UK, with an internationally well known player. He was getting very upset as he was being bullied. Took it to the management who said, we aren't taking any action - this guy is really famous. So, he said if that's your attitude, I'm leaving, and he did. It was quite a few years ago, but still could be happening in his opinion.
- BrassSection
- Posts: 424
- Joined: May 11, 2022
Exactly! Had a professional 20 piece brass band in church for a Veterans program. They followed our worship band. Several players said to me afterwards “No way could we do what you do without music!” One trumpet player can…but on trumpet only, not multiple horns. My response was “I can’t do what you guys do!” I know outside of euphonium I fall far short of their playing abilities. Every pro treated our volunteer group with respect…except for the drummer. Drummer also pro tuba player known to the group, he was being ribbed in good nature for playing drums. Bottom line, respect was shown for fellow musicians.